SUPPLEMENTAL SPECIAL MEETING (5:00 PM)

RECEIVED To: Pleasanton Mayor and Councilmembers APR 0 7 2025 Re: April 8, 2025 meeting - Budget Reduction Recommendations CITY CLERK OFFICE Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the proposed budget reductions. The information provided in the agenda packet was quite helpful. Regarding the proposal to fully eliminate certain community support investment, we appreciate that the City has acknowledged the partner organizations' value to Pleasanton residents. Unfortunately, an immediate 50% reduction followed by a 100% reduction can not be categorized as a "gradual step down". As biased volunteers of the Museum on Main, we'd like to particularly expound on the benefits that may be jeopardized by your financial rejection. As a protector of material culture and provider of archival research, the Museum delivers engaging educational opportunities, such as the 3rd Grade School Program, the ED Kinney Speaker Series, free walking and art tours, and free permanent and rotating exhibits. On any given day, you may see a toddler learning and unleashing their imagination, or grandparents in the permanent exhibit gallery showing off their pride in Pleasanton to visiting friends. The Museum is a free community nucleus for all ages and all individuals. Regarding the proposal to shutter the library two days a week, we are unconvinced that this action is preferable to reducing the hours or releasing the Dolores Bengtson Aquatic Center. Also, why does the proposal recommend two complete day closures versus reducing daily library hours? (The City site is denying us access to archived agenda packets, even though cookies are not disabled on our computer, so we could not do further research.) Regarding the proposal to reduce Police and Fire by 1%, thank you for the limited reduction. We were critical of the City using the politics of fear when discussing the proposed sales tax and were hoping a more measured dialogue would be started. We feel this current dialogue can be productive. Perhaps more residents would have voted the way we did if the City had previously taken this more considered approach. Thank you for your time and consideration. The Chapmans P.S. "The very existence of libraries affords the best evidence that we may yet have hope for the future of man." (Quote attributed to T.S. Eliot)